The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for PTSD with alcohol use disorder is denied. Service connection for residuals of TBI, right knee condition, bilateral eye condition, and right ankle condition are all remanded due to incomplete records or lack of medical nexus.
The deciding factor: The claims involve incomplete records and a lack of medical evidence linking the conditions to service.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Alcohol Use Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Residuals of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Headaches, Bilateral Eye Condition, Right Ankle Condition, Right Hip Arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 12, 2020
- Citation
- 20011669
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 20011669.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
Service connection for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is granted. The appeal as to the issue of entitlement to service connection for erectile dysfunction is dismissed.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining records from the Lancaster Vet Center and private mental health professionals.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD is related to fear of hostile military or terrorist activity in Vietnam, and his alcohol use disorder is due to his PTSD. Service connection for PTSD with alcohol use disorder has been granted.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and its residuals, including unsteady gait, somnolence, and cognitive dysfunction. The decision is based on the Veteran's credible lay statements about in-service head injuries and subsequent seizures.
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